Sloane Stephens ascended to the summit of American tennis on Saturday after claiming her maiden Grand Slam crown at US Open. She did it in emphatic fashion with a 6-3, 6-0 vanquishing of her close friend and compatriot Madison Keys.

After being off tour for 11 months because of a surgery on her left foot, the 24-year-old made an enthralling comeback to become only the second unseeded woman to win the tournament in the Open era.